Ohio Mixed Bag: Deerassic Classic set for its annual run on Aug. 1-2 in Cambridge

Cambridge, Ohio — This summer’s Deerassic Classic is set to run this year on Aug. 1-2 in Cambridge at Deerassic Park.

Entertainers scheduled for this year are country music artists Tyler Farr on Friday night, and Nate Hosey and Jon Langston on Saturday night.

The annual outdoorsmen’s extravaganza, now in its 23rd year, generally draws between 20,000 to 30,000 people to southeast Ohio. That includes more than 1,000 campers who spend the weekend at the Classic. “Those spots are usually gone by the first week they go on sale,” Deerassic Classic Director AJ Burga said of the campsites.

For more information, log onto www.deerassicclassic.com.

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Ohio Project Gets Money From BFHOF

Springfield, Mo. — The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame continues to prove its commitment to conservation by again granting a total of $40,000 to be dispersed among eight different bass fishing-related conservation projects, including one in Ohio.

The efforts range from building live release boats for use at tournaments, to enhancing black bass habitat across the United States. When paired with additional funds raised by these recipients, the Hall of Fame grants will greatly enhance the likelihood of these projects being completed.

“With these latest grants, we’ll exceed  $200,000 given in support of fishery enhancement projects over the past six years,” said BFHOF conservation committee chair Gene Gilliland. “These bass clubs have boots-on-the-ground members who donate their sweat equity to these projects, while the Hall of Fame’s Board provides financial support for building live release tournament boats, conservation-based youth fishing camps, fish stocking projects, habitat enhancement, and other needed gear to help make the projects a reality.”

The Ohio grantees receiving financial assistance from the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame under this most recent grant is:

• Ohio B.A.S.S. Nation – Purchase and customize a tournament live release boat to be used at both youth and adult bass tournaments across Ohio for improved post-tournament survival and redistribution of tournament-caught bass.

Olympian To Be CMP First Shot Speaker

Camp Perry, Ohio — The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) recently announced all of the details of the First Shot Ceremony, set to take place July 14 at 4:30 p.m. on the Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility’s historic Rodriguez Range in Port Clinton, Ohio.

The First Shot Ceremony is open to the public, with free admission and plenty of on-site parking.

Since 1907, the National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches have been held at Camp Perry – welcoming each generation’s most talented marksmen and women from around the country as well as those hoping to learn more about the sport. The First Shot Ceremony serves as the traditional opening to the month-long competition season, while the First Shot speaker is an honored distinction amongst the marksmanship community.

This year’s First Shot Ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. The 2025 First Shot Speaker will be Paris Olympic silver medalist Staff Sgt. Sagen Maddalena of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Staff Sgt. Maddalena began her career as a junior on the California Grizzlies high-power rifle team. As a Grizzly, she garnered several successes including the Freedom’s Fire Trophy as a member of the highest scoring team in the National Matches Junior Rifle Team Match in 2013. Maddalena went on to join the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team before heading to the Army. After several successes on a global level, she made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games before returning to Team USA for the 2024 Paris Games in both air rifle and smallbore – earning silver in the women’s three-position match.

Hunter Ed Instructor Courses Offered

Columbus — The Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is offering training academies across the state for those interested in becoming hunter education instructors. The two-day academies certify instructors to teach Ohio’s Hunter Education Courses, which cover a range of topics from conservation, safety, ethics, and proper handling of hunting equipment.

Upcoming instructor certification academies are:

• Northwest Ohio: Aug. 9-10 at Division of Wildlife District 2 Office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay.

• Southeast Ohio: Aug. 23-24 at Division of Wildlife District 4 Office, 360 E. State Street, Athens.

There is no cost to participate in the hunter education instructor academy, but all participants are required to complete a background check prior to the start. To register, visit wildohio.gov.

Participants are required to attend both days of training, be at least 18 years of age, and have successfully completed the online hunter education course. The online hunter education course can be completed at hunter-ed.com/ohio/.

ODNR: Leave Wild Animals In The Wild

Columbus — With the arrival of summer weather, young wildlife appears in backyards, local parks, and unexpected areas, according to the Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Keep wildlife wild by observing young animals from a distance and reducing interactions with them.

Wildlife parents are devoted to their young and rarely abandon them. A young animal’s best chance of survival is with its mother. Usually, young wildlife observed alone are not orphaned or abandoned, but are waiting for a parent to return.